On July 1, 2011, Donna made the Save Polar Facebook page and in five hours we had six friends. While all of this was going on I was at work and Donna (my wife and not the other one) told me she set up this Facebook page to save Polar. She was in tears on the phone and said, "please don't let them put her down! She doesn't deserve this! You have to fix this!" Now, I have been a police officer more than half of my life and I operate in crisis mode. I don't do too well in day-to-day stuff like going to the store, paying bills and whatnot but I'm extremely effective in crisis mode and THIS was crisis mode! And besides, I cannot stand to see my wife cry. If you know Donna, you know she doesn't cry so when she does, I take notice. When I got home that night, I started to cross post the "Save Polar" Facebook page on every deaf dog, pitbull rescue and any other dog Facebook page I could find! And everything took off! Monday was a holiday and on Tuesday I spoke to a friend who was able to get in contact with WRIC and an interview was set up. Catherine Hawley, from WRIC 8, interviewed Donna (although she didn't like it) at our house and that story aired on Tuesday night. I then got emails from Lisa of AngelDogs, based out of California, who spays/neuters dogs and is starting a rescue for deaffies and Katrina from D2Care who rescues deaffies and offers support to deaf dog owners. I know the Great Architect has sent these two women to me and Polar!
Later in the week, a friend (Donna Armstrong) said, "hey! Let's have a candlelight vigil for Polar." As much as I didn't want to do this, I knew we needed to do it. Starting on Tuesday and going through Thursday evening, just before the vigil, we knew that Polar was going to be put down on Friday even though I was told by Chesterfield Animal Control that nothing would happen until Friday, July 15. As you can imagine, I was really pissed, hurt, mad and whatever other emotion you want to assign to my feelings. How dare they put her down! At this time, there was no information from the medical examiner and the police were not talking about the investigation. There is no way I could let this happen! Lisa and Katrina invited me to the deaf dog Yahoo group and they posted all of this information on that group and then posted it everywhere! At the vigil I was interviewed by Yvette Yeon of NBC12 and Angela Pellerano of WTVR 6 and the interviews went well. Angela told me that night that Chesterfield had postponed the PTS (put to sleep) date to an unknown date. As you can imagine, I was beside myself with joy and was in tears. During the vigil, I read the below story:
Did you see me today? As you rushed past to the kennel with the five darling little pups - seven people already there, rescues lined up to save - Did you see me today? Did you see my eyes filled with hurt and torture - ten years of neglect and pain fro...m my life in the back yard, on a chain... Did you see me today? Did you hear the cries my heart made? Three days ago was my tenth birthday and almost ten years ago I was in that same kennel you rushed to today. I was a darling little puppy that everyone wanted... that got too big, too fast...and was sent to live on a chain in the backyard - too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer, barely a kind word spoken... I begged for attention that never came,got tossed food most days, begged for just a drink of water on too hot days, my throat parched and hurting. My dirty matted coat my only protection from the heat and cold, rain and snow ALWAYS NEEDING No one saw me then either. Then I got too messy, my cries for attention too loud ... I just got too damn old. No one saw me, and they brought me here to die. That kennel you rushed to had six puppies then... They dropped me off and took one from there to fill my spot on that rusty chain in the backyard, And I wonder... who is worse off - me or him? I still have so much love in my heart, so much to share... Did you see me today? For a brief moment you stopped, and I thought our eyes met. Was the smell of helpless death too strong for you, my pleas for help too loud? Did you see me today? Will you go home, close your eyes in slumber and recall the haunting look I gave... Will you recall what was not seen today? With the sunrise will you rush back to see? I will not be here then. Today, when the doors are locked I will never be seen again... Did you see me today?
There was not a dry eye in the group! I found this story when I found Pickles and I cried. Now, for all of you calling me names that I won't post here, if I hear it from your mouth, I will beat you until there is only goo left! Since then, this whole thing as exploded! Polar has had three news stories on local channels and two national.
Maddie, our Mastiff, brought Pickles and Nea to us and I can feel her leaning against me (Mastiffs like to lean on people) when I get tired or feel like I'm ready to give up. I know Maddie is standing at Rainbow Bridge and is so proud.
As of today, we have 1398 fans and the page is growing every day! The most important thing is that Polar is safe for now but we can't give up yet. We need to keep the pressure on everyone and every agency that can make a difference. We really want Polar to live with us but as long as she's safe, I really don't care where she lives. All of this has come from one single statement made by Donna: "You have to fix this!"
